NCIBA Discovery Show to Feature ABA Education Session on Independent Bookstore Day

The American Booksellers Association will present the education session “Independent Bookstore Day: Celebrate With Success” at the upcoming Northern California Independent Booksellers Association fall trade show at the Hyatt Burlingame in Burlingame, California, taking place from Friday, September 20, to Saturday, September 21, 2019.

In the education session, to be held Saturday, September 21, from 9:45 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., booksellers will learn how they can make the most of Independent Bookstore Day (IBD), the national celebration of independent bookselling that this year featured 575 participating stores, many of which reported increased sales and foot traffic plus a boost in brand awareness.

Because of the national growth of this successful program, ABA has agreed to take on the management of IBD for 2020. This session will offer information on how to order and make the most of the IBD exclusive merchandise, how to organize and publicize your store’s party to bring people into your store, and how to strategically use social media to increase sales and community participation. The session is open to both members and non-members of ABA.

Booksellers attending the NCIBA Discovery Show are also invited to stop by the ABA booth to say hello to Board President Jamie Fiocco, CEO Oren Teicher, Senior Program Officer Joy Dallanegra-Sanger, IndieCommerce Senior Manager Geetha Nathan, and Senior Membership Manager Daniel O’Brien.

In addition, ABA is leading a roundtable session from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on September 20: “Making the Most of ABA Membership,” during which new ABA members, booksellers at newly opened stores, and anyone else interested can join ABA’s O’Brien to talk about the programs and resources the association provides to strengthen independent booksellers’ businesses.

ABA is also offering an education session on “Actionable Ideas From Indie Retail,” which will highlight how independent retailers are staying connected and relevant to their customers both in the store and online while simultaneously participating in their greater community by advocating for independent retail as a key to downtown economic stability. Come to this session to hear from independent retailer stars, ask questions, and discover ideas to apply to your bookstore.

Finally, booksellers attending the NCIBA Discovery Show can also register to meet one-on-one with members of the IndieCommerce staff; book an appointment with IndieCommerce Senior Manager Geetha Nathan here.

IndieCommerce is currently offering three e-commerce promotions:

• Enter to win one free year of IndieCommerce (total value of $1,425) by submitting an IndieCommerce contract between September 1 and October 31.
• Receive three free months of IndieLite service for former My Books and More (Baker & Taylor) stores; get your first three months free, then pay $25 per month for the remaining nine months of the year (total value of $600).
• Sign up for IndieLite between September 1 and October 31 and pay half price for the entire year, just $25 per month.

ABA members also have a chance to win a scholarship to Winter Institute 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. Just leave a business card at the ABA booth, and one winner will be selected at random from all the cards received during the fall shows.

Non-ABA members can test drive an ABA membership for free until January 31, 2020, by attending one of the fall regional trade shows and collecting the promotion code to be used during the membership registration process.

The 2019 fall regional trade show schedule is as follows:

Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA)
Friday, September 13 – Sunday, September 15
Spartanburg Marriott, 299 N. Church St., Spartanburg, South Carolina

Northern California Independent Booksellers Association (NCIBA)
Friday, September 20 – Saturday, September 21
Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, 1333 Bayshore Highway, Burlingame, California

Southern California Independent Booksellers Association (SCIBA)
Friday, September 27 – Saturday, September 28
Sheraton Los Angeles San Gabriel, 303 E Valley Blvd., San Gabriel, California

New England Independent Booksellers Association (NEIBA)
Wednesday, October 2 – Friday, October 4
Rhode Island Convention Center Ballroom, 1 Sabin St., Providence, Rhode Island

Heartland Fall Forum (Midwest Independent Booksellers Association/MIBA and Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association/GLIBA)
Wednesday, October 2 – Friday, October 4
Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, 24 Public Square, Cleveland, Ohio

Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association (PNBA)
Sunday, October 6 – Tuesday, October 8
Red Lion on the River – Jantzen Beach, 909 N. Hayden Island Dr., Portland, Oregon

Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association (MPIBA)
Thursday, October 10 – Saturday, October 12
Renaissance Denver Stapleton Hotel, 3801 Quebec St., Denver, Colorado

New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association (NAIBA)
Tuesday, October 15 – Thursday, October 17
Crowne Plaza, 2349 Marlton Pike W., Cherry Hill, New Jersey

Watch for more details on the regional shows in upcoming editions of BTW.